Charges pending against two B.C. women over seized `bath salts’ drugs from China

KELOWNA, B.C. – Charges are pending against two women from West Kelowna, B.C., in connection with the seizure of potentially lethal drugs known as bath salts mailed from China.

The Canada Border Services Agency seized 16 kilograms of methylone in three packages at the Vancouver International Mail Centre, where it processes mail for Western Canada.

RCMP say the relatively new and highly addictive synthetic drug being imported into the province comes in the form of a white or brown crystalline powder that looks like salt.

Police say the drugs intercepted on Aug. 23 and 26 were destined for West Kelowna, where the two women were arrested on Sept. 19.

The CBSA says the parcels were declared as table salt and intercepted separately by two officers.

The so-called bath salts, which can be snorted, smoked or liquefied and then injected started showing up in Eastern Canada as early as 2011, and Mounties say users experience elevated heart rate, hallucinations and could easily overdose.